What sort of property should I look for?
If your intention is to live and work there full-time, buy real estate with room for your business to grow. Square footage is still great value in France so there is no need to stint yourself on space. And plenty of the larger rural properties have outbuildings perfect for offices or workshops.

Anything to avoid?
If you fall in love with an ancient château or crumbling manoir, be aware that renovations on buildings classified as a monuments historiques will be restricted and work expensive, just as if you bought a listed building in England.

Which area should I choose?
The nature of your business and the needs of your clients will be crucial factors. If you will be flitting back to London for meetings, you might buy in the south, which is especially well served by the budget airlines; if you are exporting furniture across the Channel, you might base yourself in Normandy or Brittany, within a few hours' drive of British ferry ports.

What if I have a budget?
As a refugee from the hothouse of UK property prices, you will find value for money pretty much everywhere. The bargains, which will need restoration, are off the beaten track. Central areas, with less well developed communications, such as Limousin and Auvergne, and, surprisingly, Burgundy, offer good value as well as picturesque villages.

What can I do in France?
The simplest concept is to relocate your present business. This works well for consultants who already work remotely (product designers) who need space and inspiration (writers), and dealers in French furnishings and crafts; some Britons have even relocated to become estate agents, such as www.purslows-gascony.com or www.southloire.com.

What about B&B?
A picturesque property, beautifully renovated, can easily double as a location for photographic shoots and, in summer, extra rooms or outbuildings can be let out to holidaymakers.

Anything else?
Yes, many Britons who have invested in larger properties also run residential courses on subjects they are passionate about. Rosemary Conquest, a former London antiques dealer, offers courses on Economics and Creative Writing at www.manoirdesrosiers.com. Lizzie Ezekiel, an interior designer from Surrey who has just restored a chateau www.chateaudumas.net, plans to offer yoga and art workshops, cookery and craft holidays from her new home.

First things first – how do I start?
Arm yourself with conversational French and research the market. Find out whether the locale you are considering needs another chiropodist before you open up your practice. Visit your local Chamber of Commerce, to take a short course in setting up a business. Do the maths and make sure you have the funds to make a success of the enterprise.

Do I need start-up funds?
You will need a decent nest egg, ideally enough to keep you going through the first three years, as you must pay taxes as well as unexpectedly hefty social security contributions from the moment you register your business with the local Chamber of Commerce.

What about French bureaucracy?
It is complicated but explained in English on the invaluable website of the Agence pour la Création d'Enterprise, www.apce.com. The most straightforward, cheapest scenario is if you fit neatly into a pigeonhole (freelance, craftsperson, trader), run a one-man band (Enterprise Individuelle) and have a great French accountant.

How do I register the business?
Your accountant will advise on the most tax-effective structure. In the early days, you are likely to settle on an Enterprise Individuelle or, if you want to run a handful of different ventures, you may have to form a limited company, a Société " Responsabilité Limitée, the drawback of which is extra professional fees and paperwork and the necessity of registering for TVA (VAT). Once the key decision is made, you must complete the appropriate forms, in French, and provide documentation on everything from your date of birth to your financial position, to finally obtain your Certificat d'Immatriculation (formal business registration).

What sort of insurance will I need?
In France, personal liability for debt is unlimited, so protect your home by setting up a Declaration d'Insaisissabilité through a notaire. In many occupations, you will need professional indemnity cover (Assurance Responsabilité Civile Professionelle) before you start a business.

What about my qualifications?
Most UK qualifications are valid in France (see www.enic-naric.net), but you need to get your certificates and diplomas translated and registered by the Chamber of Commerce.

Must I be charmant?
You may already have British clients and be hoping to rely on the ex-pat community for work, but it is crucial to get to know the locals as well. Not only will you want an address book full of reliable plumbers, carpenters and decorators, as a new business, you need every contact you can muster: French businesses live or die by word-of-mouth recommendations.

Must I live there full-time?
No, especially if your work already involves a bit of shuttling. Many French property owners keep a pied " terre back home; once gained, a rung on the UK property ladder is very precious.

Resources
Living and Working in France 2007, David Hampshire (Survival Books)
Starting a Business in France, Andre de Vries (Vacation Work Publications, 2004)
For details on the social security system, visit www.urssaf.fr
The official government guide to setting up a business in France is at www.apce.com
A listing of each local Chamber of Commerce can be found at www.cci.fr

Words Katrina Burroughs